Small pets, such as cats and dogs are subject to travel in automobiles and trucks just as are their owners. Such pets are usually transported in such vehicles totally untethered or are restrained by harnesses and the like. Further, sometimes, for the safety of the animal, they are further restrained by boxes or cages which makes the travel uncomfortable.
It makes sense to tether an animal in a moving vehicle, not only for the safety of the animal, but for the safety of the human occupants, in that the animal, if not tethered in some manner, can jump on the driver, or distract the driver to the extent that an accident may occur. Thus, there has been developed over the last few years, a large number of devices to tether, harness or enclose transported animals.
One prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,932, to Wooderson. The Wooderson device consists of a tether which is adapted to be anchored between a door and a door jamb of an automobile. The device is effective only as long as the vehicle door remains closed.
Another similar device is the device of Willow. disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,084, in which a restraint for dogs in an open bed of a pickup truck is described. The tether attached to the dogs collar is further attached to a tether stretched across the bed of a pickup truck and attached to the sides of the bed of the pickup truck by hook means.
Yet another tethering strap arrangement for animals can be found in the disclosure of Thomas, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,154, in which a tether is attached to a device affixed to the upright part of an automobile seat such that the animal is restrained, but has the ability to slide from side to side of the automobile because of the slidability of the attachment on the anchor means.
None of the prior art devices however, have the advantages of the adaptability of the instant device to the already existing seat belt means as an anchor, and the quick leash disconnect means of the device, of this invention.